Written Answers

Wednesday, 26th March 2003.

Afghanistan

What will be the United Kingdom's participation in the joint regional teams in Afghanistan; what forces will be committed; and what are the teams' objectives.[HL2148]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Amos): The UK has agreed in principle to lead one of the provincial reconstruction teams, as they are now known, and possibly contribute to others. It is not possible at this point to define the precise force requirements since this will vary according to the needs of the region in which the team deploys. We hope the provincial reconstruction teams will facilitate the development of a stable and secure environment; promote security sector reform and reconstruction; and underpin the authority of the transitional administration.

The Earl of Sandwich asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they respond to the concerns of non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan about the precise role of the joint regional teams; whether soldiers in uniform are to carry out humanitarian aid and reconstruction work; and how this will affect the status of non-governmental organisations in the communities concerned.[HL2149]

Baroness Amos: FCO, MoD and DfID officials have held three substantive meetings with NGOs since December 2002 to discuss the provincial reconstruction team concept. This concept is still evolving: we hope that lessons being learned from three pilot US PRTs will help shape the concept in a way that will satisfy NGO concerns. We are working with the US, UN and Afghan authorities to identify the most effective way of addressing the concerns expressed so far.

Civil Court Debt

Lord Clark of Windermere asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress they have made on the review of enforcement of civil court debt.[HL2280]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): I am pleased to announce the publication of the White Paper Effective Enforcement which sets out legislative proposals to improve methods of recovery for civil

26 Mar 2003 : Column WA76

court debt and commercial rent and a single regulatory regime for warrant enforcement agents.

It is crucial that creditors who have established a legitimate claim should be able to pursue it through a straightforward and accessible system and, if necessary, enforce a judgment by the most appropriate means. Equally, debtors who genuinely do not have the means to pay should be protected from the oppressive pursuit of their debts.

The White Paper contains detailed proposals for a single regulatory structure, unified law and a fairer fee structure for all enforcement agents to enable straightforward, effective warrant enforcement and protect vulnerable debtors who genuinely cannot pay. The paper also sets out revised procedures for attachment of earnings and charging orders and improved access to information to assist enforcement.

The paper builds on the Green Paper Towards Effective Enforcement, published in July 2001, and the responses to this consultation paper, published in May 2002.

Foreign Nationals in Prison in England and Wales

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 19 October 1999 (WA 108), whether they will publish a table to show how many foreign nationals were in prison in England and Wales at the latest convenient date.[HL2145]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): Information for 31 January 2003 is given in the table.

Population in prisons in England and Wales on 31 Janaury 2003 by nationality and sex

Country

Males

Females

All

All Nationalities

66,689

4,214

70,903

British

58,042

3,265

61,307

Foreign Nationals

7,600

895

8,495

Afghanistan

43

0

43

Albania

72

2

74

Algeria

141

0

141

Andorra

1

0

1

Angola

36

1

37

Anguilla

1

0

1

Antarctica

10

2

12

Argentina

7

0

7

Armenia

4

0

4

Aruba

1

0

1

Ascension Island

1

0

1

Australia

19

4

23

Austria

3

0

3

Bahamas

4

0

4

Bangladesh

134

2

136

Barbados

30

1

31

Belgium

45

6

51

Belize

1

1

2

Bermuda

2

0

2

Bhutan

1

0

1

Bolivia

4

0

4

Bosnia- Hercegovina

6

1

7

Botswana

1

0

1

Brazil

19

11

30

British India Ocean

0

0

0

Bulgaria

6

1

7

Burma

1

0

1

Burundi

2

0

2

Cambodia

1

0

1

Cameroon, United Republic

14

2

16

Canada

26

4

30

Cayman Islands

1

0

1

Central African Republic

6

0

6

Chad

1

0

1

Chile

11

2

13

China

79

8

87

Colombia

104

9

113

Congo

37

2

39

Costa Rica

1

0

1

Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

2

0

2

Croatia

4

0

4

Cuba

2

0

2

Cyprus

65

1

66

Czechoslovakia

16

0

16

Denmark

9

0

9

Djibouti

1

0

1

Dominica

6

0

6

Dominican Republic

4

1

5

East Timor (Portuguese)

1

0

1

Ecuador

8

0

8

Egypt

9

0

9

Estonia

3

0

3

Ethiopia

14

0

14

Fiji

2

0

2

Finland

2

0

2

France

83

14

97

French Southern Territories

3

0

3

French Guiana

2

0

2

Gabon

1

0

1

Gambia

22

0

22

Georgia

3

0

3

Germany

84

10

94

Ghana

97

9

106

Gibraltar

2

0

2

Greece

24

3

27

Grenada

11

1

12

Guatemala

2

0

2

Guinea

3

0

3

Guyana

16

3

19

Haiti

2

0

2

Hong Kong

5

0

5

Hungary

20

0

20

India

230

10

240

Indonesia

3

0

3

Iran

83

1

84

Iraq

121

0

121

Irish Republic

597

42

639

Israel

7

0

7

Italy

100

6

106

Ivory Coast

8

0

8

Jamaica

2,372

488

2,860

Japan

1

0

1

Jordan

5

0

5

Kazakhstan

1

0

1

Kenya

61

2

63

Kiribati

1

0

1

Korea Republic of (Sth)

4

2

6

Kuwait

2

0

2

Kyrgystan

2

0

2

Latvia

13

2

15

Lebanon

13

1

14

Liberia

5

1

6

Libya

17

0

17

Lithuania

35

3

38

Luxembourg

1

0

1

Macedonia

2

0

2

Malawi

6

0

6

Malaysia

10

3

13

Mali

1

0

1

Malta

11

1

12

Mauritania

6

0

6

Mauritius

7

0

7

Mexico

4

1

5

Moldova

15

0

15

Mongolia

2

0

2

Montserrat

11

2

13

Morocco

31

2

33

Mozambique

1

0

1

Namibia

1

0

1

Nepal

3

0

3

Netherlands

205

21

226

Netherlands Antilles

12

3

15

New Zealand

7

3

10

Nicaragua

2

0

2

Nigeria

230

43

273

Norway

2

0

2

Oman

1

0

1

Pakistan

383

4

387

Panama

1

0

1

Papua New Guinea

1

1

2

Peru

4

1

5

Philippines

11

4

15

Poland

52

5

57

Portugal

90

12

102

Romania

68

19

87

Rwanda

5

0

5

Sao Tome and Principe

1

0

1

Saudi Arabia

10

1

11

Senegal

2

0

2

Serbia

2

1

3

Seychelles

1

1

2

Sierra Leone

45

2

47

Singapore

1

1

2

Slovakia

7

0

7

Slovenia

1

0

1

Somalia

181

5

186

South Africa

116

25

141

Spain

80

16

96

Sri Lanka

103

1

104

St Christopher & Nevis

2

1

3

St Kitts and Nevis

3

2

5

St Lucia

13

2

15

St Vincent & The Grenadines

6

0

6

Sudan

19

1

20

Surinam

2

1

3

Sweden

3

2

5

Switzerland

6

2

8

Syrian Arab Republic

4

0

4

Tanzania

7

1

8

Territories

1

0

1

Thailand

2

4

6

Togo

5

1

6

Trinidad and Tobago

39

8

47

Tunisia

9

0

9

Turkey

206

1

207

Turkmenistan

2

1

3

Uganda

45

0

45

United Arab Emirates

4

0

4

United States of America

62

14

76

USSR

67

1

68

Uzbekistan

2

0

2

Venezuela

31

4

35

Vietnam

35

3

38

Virgin Islands

0

1

1

Yemen Arab Republic (North)

2

0

2

YemenPeoples Dem Rep (Sth)

3

0

3

Yugoslavia

111

2

113

Zaire

40

0

40

Zambia

12

2

14

Zimbabwe

36

4

40

Not recorded

1,047

54

1,101

26 Mar 2003 : Column WA79

Iraq: Legality of Armed Force

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why they have not answered the Questions for Written Answer tabled on 6 March by Lord Lester of Herne Hill regarding the principles of public international law governing the manner in which military action is taken against Iraq (HL 2053) and the principles of international humanitarian law applicable to the belligerents (HL 2054).[HL2246]

The Minister for Trade (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): The Questions to which the noble Lord refers were answered on 20 March 2003 (WA 41), within the recommended 14-day period.